Lamenting the Loss of the American Frontier

The Fading Frontier

  • Significance of the American Frontier

    • Director Jackson Turner discussed the American frontier's historical importance.
    • Frequently referenced in AP history during discussions about this time period.
    • Turner expressed sadness (lamenting) over the loss of the frontier, which represented a sense of independence and self-sufficiency.
    • Concept of the American frontier symbolizing the last vestiges of individualism and opportunity for personal advancement.

  • Independence and Loneliness

    • Discussion about the desire for independence versus the reality of loneliness in frontier living.
    • Conversations about withdrawing from society to discover one's self in isolation.
    • Acknowledgment of a balance between wanting solitude and the human need for companionship.

  • Rugged Individualism

    • Turner connected rugged individualism with the ethos of American identity.
    • Contrast between individualism and collectivism was noted.
    • This discussion prompted connections to historical figures associated with collectivism like Marx, Stalin, and Mao.

  • Historic Context

    • The American frontier served various purposes:
    • Acted as a safety valve for emigrants seeking a new life, especially factory workers and immigrants.
    • Offered a route to individuality, unlike the aristocracy prevalent in Europe.
    • Comparisons made with the enclosure movement in England:
    • Enclosure Movement: Landlords dispossessing peasants from common lands.
    • Resulted in masses of workers moving to cities, fueling the Industrial Revolution and factory jobs availability.

  • Settling the American West

    • Landed aristocracy wasn't common in the U.S.; land ownership was more accessible to average individuals seeking opportunity.
    • Movie recommendation: "Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou?" captures the essence of this frontier mentality.
    • Quote: “You ain't no kind of man if you ain't got land.”

  • Shifts and Changes in the West

    • Presentation of Frederick Jackson Turner's thesis regarding the frontier's closure:
    • Frontier Thesis: Suggested the closure of the frontier would demand a